


Blood and Dust

by BigGayRobot



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Blood and Injury, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Farm/Ranch, Fluff and Angst, Gun Violence, Human!Catra, Mentions of sexual violence, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Steampunk, Supernatural Elements, Tobacco use, alcohol use, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-27 19:42:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21397606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigGayRobot/pseuds/BigGayRobot
Summary: Adora is on the run from her former gang, The Horde, with secrets in tow. She eventually settles at Bright Moon Ranch as a farm hand and hired gun. But when the past catches up to her, will Adora stand her ground? Or will she keep running?Set in 1890. Mostly a straight western, but steampunk elements will show up later.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

Adora shifted uncomfortably in her saddle as she let her horse slowly pick his own path down the mountain switchback road. She'd been riding hard for days, and the hard leather was almost becoming unbearable. With a gentle tug on the reins and a quiet shushing sound, she brought her gelding to a stop. Unslinging her long rifle from her shoulder, she brought it up to peer through the scope at the valley below. Satisfied she hadn't seen any signs of an ambush, she re-slung her rifle and clicked her tongue at her horse.

"Come on now," she said softly, gently tapping her boot heels against the horse's ribs. "I want off this mountain before dark."

The sun was just starting to dip below the trees when Adora started to set up camp under a small rock outcropping at the base of the mountain. She hobbled her horse before she let him freely crop grass and shrubs. She noted his feet were getting considerably ungainly and resolved to reshoe him at the next town with a farrier.

After a meager meal of dried salt beef and trail biscuits, Adora sat staring into her tiny campfire. She absently poked the burning logs with a green switch, watching the sparks rise and dance in the smoky updraft. The light smell of wood smoke on the chill air led her mind to wander, dredging up memories of—

Adora sharply shook her head and tore her gaze from the low fire. After images burned in the darkness, taking the unwanted memories with them as they faded. Adora tossed the switch aside and stretched out on her rough wool bedroll. With a heavy sigh, she pulled her hat over her eyes and waited for sleep to take her.

* * *

It was late afternoon when Adora rode into the town. She hitched her horse on the main street and searched her saddlebags. Pulling her billfold from under her dwindling trail rations, she started to count what little cash she had left.

_ Ten dollars and some change _ , she thought, grimacing. 

It might have been enough to resupply and keep going for a few days. But Adora desperately needed a bath, and her horse needed re-shoed. And they both needed a proper meal.

"Looks like we're gonna stay here awhile, Swift Wind," she said gently, stuffing her billfold into the back pocket of her dust-colored jeans. "Let's see if we can find some work."

After an hour of asking around the main street and getting only a handful of strange looks, Adora came to the small post office. The clapboard building showed about the same amount of weather wear as the rest of the town, but looked neat and well-maintained. A small sign read "HELP WANTED" in the window. Adora swallowed, trying to calm the nervous energy roiling in her gut as she stepped inside.

"Be with you in just a moment," a bored but pleasant voice called out as the bell tinkled over the door.

Adora blinked, eyes adjusting to the dim interior after riding in the sun all day. She was suddenly very aware she smelled strongly of horse and sour sweat.

"Picking up, or sending out?" a middle aged man asked as he appeared in the barred window. He absently smoothed his handlebar moustache as he regarded the strange woman.

Adora removed her hat and worried the brim as she stepped forward.

"I'm actually here 'cause I saw your sign looking for help."

"Ain't you a little old t'be running parcels?"

"I ain't too proud to do anything," Adora said, picking at the band on her hat.

"Tough times?" the man asked, his expression softening.

"You could say that."

"Listen," the man said with a sigh as he reached to the side. "I got a parcel needs run up to Bright Moon Ranch. You do that, and I'll see what else I can do for you."

"I don't rightly know where that is," Adora said, uncertainty and eagerness both coloring her voice. "But I'm sure I can find it."

"Take the main road west out of town and follow it to the river," the man said, handing the parcel over to Adora. "Then turn north. You can't miss it."

Adora took the brown paper-wrapped parcel, barely choking back a sob of relief.

"Thank you so much, sir," She said, tucking the box under her arm and donning her hat once more. "I'll get it there. Don't you worry."

* * *

The sky slowly turned fiery; bright orange shot through with red and yellow, fading to a deeper red toward the horizon. Bright Moon Ranch hadn't been difficult to find, but Adora had taken her time riding there, mentally preparing herself in case of any trouble.

The main house sat a quarter mile off the road, the pale blue paint and crisp white trim showing stark against the golden green plains and slate grey cliffs in the distance. A young man and woman were sitting on the porch steps as Adora approached on her horse.

"Howdy ma'am," she said, dismounting and touching her hat brim. "And sir, I brought a parcel from Thaymore for you."

The man stood, a bright smile splitting his dark face.

"Thank you," he said, the warmth in his voice making Adora's shoulders relax a fraction. "I been waiting for this a good long while."

He accepted the package and stepped away, opening it and inspecting the contents. The young woman regarded Adora with a stony look. Her bright pink hair struck Adora as a bit odd, but then she waved the thought away. The things she'd seen riding the land made for few surprises anymore.

"Is it all there?" Adora asked, not wanting to leave a job poorly done.

"Yep," the main said with another warm smile.

"I suppose you'll want your delivery fee," the woman said, not too kindly.

"I guess that's how this works," Adora replied, scuffing the toe of her boot in the dirt.

As the pink haired woman made to turn and head into the house, a ranch hand came barrelling around the corner, shouting.

"Bow!" he yelled, vaulting over the split rail fence. "Glimmer! There's men with guns in the stable!"

The two gave each other a brief look before running towards the collection of animal barns. Adora was up in her saddle in a blink and cantered up to them.

"Let me help," she said, not knowing why she felt the need to aid strangers. "If they take the horses, you'll never catch them on foot."

Glimmer opened her mouth to speak, but Bow interjected.

"Can you shoot?" he asked, eyes hard.

Adora pulled her long rifle from her saddle holster in response. Bow gave a sharp nod as Adora spurred Swift Wind into a gallop. As she neared the barn door, it burst open as a pair of men on dark mares led a small group of yearlings out of the building. They whooped and spurred their mounts down the farm path and onto the open plains, hoping to lose Adora in the rolling hills.

Adora dug her spurs into Swift Wind's sides, urging him into a breakneck pace. She shouldered her rifle, using her knees to steer the horse as she peered through the scope. She led the first bandit by a hair and fired a warning shot. A small plume of dust rose into the air as the thieves changed course. Again, Adora led them, firing another warning.

_ If they don't stop,  _ she thought, levering another round into the chamber.  _ I'm gonna have to kill them. _

Just as Adora raised her rifle to get a bead on one of the thieves, she heard the telltale crack of a revolver and the whistle of a bullet passing somewhere to her right. She continued to use her knees to steer Swift Wind in a serpentine pattern to avoid a direct shot. She looked through the scope, knowing if she didn't put a stop to this now, she'd lose them in the dark. She took a slow, deep breath to calm her nerves before squeezing the trigger.

The shot hit the first thief in the lower back, causing him to slump in his saddle. Adora reloaded and fired again, hitting him between the shoulders. His horse slowed as he slipped out of the saddle and hit the ground, dead. Adora reloaded yet again and fired on the second thief. Her shot went wide as he suddenly veered out of her line of sight. She grumbled in frustration before raising her rifle again. She followed the remaining thief in her crosshairs for a few heartbeats before squeezing the trigger one last time. There was a wet, sickening  _ thump _ as the bullet buried itself in the thief's skull. 

It took her the better part of an hour to round up the stolen horses and bring them back to the ranch. The sky was darkening to a deep blue-black and stars were beginning to dot the heavens. The moon was peeking out behind the clifftops when Adora finally rode back into the ranch with the yearlings in tow. 

"Thank God," Bow called out when he saw her. "We were worried when we heard gunfire. You ok?"

"Yeah," Adora said, dismounting and helping lead the other horses into the stables. "They popped a shot at me but—" She stopped short, not knowing how strangers would react to her killing two men. She made a vague gesture in the direction she came from instead.

Bow nodded absently, intent on inspecting the horses for injuries. 

"Well it was a good thing you were here," he said finally, turning to face her. "We've been having a right bit of trouble with them hired guns for months."

"Who are they?" Adora asked as she helped get the last of the yearlings bedded down. "I mean, if they wanted horses, there's easier ways."

"The man who owns the next ranch over hired a bunch of thugs to try and scare us off," Bow said as he locked up the barn and started toward the main house. "He wants this land something fierce. But Angella and Micah are trying their best to hold it down."

"Seems there's easier ways to get land, too."

"There are," Bow said. "But this guy seems to enjoy strongarming honest folks out of their land."

"These hired guns...are they just mercenaries, or are they a gang?"

"I honestly don't know," Bow said, heaving a sigh and absently rubbing the back of his neck. "I assume a gang since they call themselves The Horde."

Adora's mouth went dry, and she hoped the moonlight hid the way her face blanched. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, and could feel her fingers start to tingle from the panic roiling in her chest and stomach.

"If you're interested," Bow continued, not appearing to notice anything amiss. "We could use a gun like you around here. You'd have to do ranch work too, though."

Adora wrestled with her panic at being so close to the gang she'd escaped from so many months ago and her desperate need for steady cash.

"I—" Adora started hoarsely before clearing her throat. "I ain't too proud to work."

Bow's face lit up with another bright grin as he stopped to regard Adora.

"That's good to hear," he said. "What did you say your name was again?"

"A—" Adora cut herself short, Using her name this close to The Horde could be deadly. "Mara."

"Well, Mara," Bow said, climbing the porch stairs to the main house. "It's not glamorous work, but it's honest and pays decent. Come inside so we can talk to Micah and Angella. If they say yes to you, there's living quarters by the back fence you can use."

Adora followed him into the house, not knowing if she was going to faint or puke.


	2. Chapter 2

Catra wedged her toe under the corpse and kicked it over. The sweet smell of rot made her wrinkle her nose and pull the bandana covering the lower half of her face tighter to stave it off. She'd sent two men to Bright Moon Ranch to stir up trouble, not to die.

  


"Looks like Micha's boys got balls after all," she said, looking in the direction of the ranch.

  


Catra had sent scouts onto the plains after the pair of would-be thieves failed to return to their rendezvous point. There was something about the sudden backlash that she couldn't put her finger on, and she hated it. Up until now, Bow and the rest of the ranch hands hadn't put up much of a fight. Sure, they'd throw fists and talk big, but they'd never killed a man before. She frowned deeply under her bandana.

  


"Whatcha think boss?" a dreadlocked woman asked, pulling Catra from her thoughts. "Should we go give 'em some payback?"

  


"No," Catra said with a sharp shake of her head. "Lonnie, take Kyle and Rogelio into Thaymore and ask around. See if Micah hired guns of his own."   
  


"Yes'm," the other woman said before jogging off.

  


Catra walked toward her black stallion and practically jumped into the saddle. From her perch, she watched the rest of her crew load the two corpses onto a wagon to be buried. Her stallion danced in place, picking up on her irritation.

  


"Hurry up and get them bodies outta here," she said harshly, grabbing the reins and wheeling her horse around. "I'll ride ahead and let Hordak know we need more guns."

  


With that, Catra spurred her horse, who reared and kicked the air with his front hooves before leaping into a gallop. As she rode across the grassy hills, her mind kept turning the situation over and over, looking for an answer.

  


* * *

  


Catra leaned against the post marking the entrance to Fright Zone Ranch and lit her hand rolled cigarette. She took a drag and idly spit out loose tobacco leaves that had stuck themselves to her tongue before blowing smoke into the cool night air. She watched it dissipate and tilted her head back, letting the start of her nicotine buzz settle in.

  


She took another slow drag as she stared at the stars twinkling in the inky expanse above her. She began picking out the few constellations she knew and making up a few of her own. She knew she should be watching the main road or on patrolling the ranch perimeter, but she figured a few minutes for herself wouldn't hurt. Her cigarette flared once more before she flicked it away to smolder and die in the pale dust.

  


Catra pushed off the post and hooked a thumb in her belt, continuing to look at the sky. She heaved a sigh and indulged herself in a rare moment of grief, almost relishing in the aching, hollow feeling in her chest, the way her throat tightened and her eyes burned with unshed tears. She drew a deep, harsh breath and held it, trying to smother the rage and sorrow that were threatening to rise and drown her; carry her away in their violent current until she was battered and broken and utterly empty.

  


She continued to hold her breath as her hands balled into hard fists; knuckles going white, nails digging into her palms, arms shaking from the strain. After a long moment, she finally let out a long, angry, growling breath before setting off into the dark, away from her patrol path and towards the rocky mountain base.

  


* * *

  


Adora poured warm water into her wash basin and splashed some on her face to rinse the sleep from her eyes. She grabbed a bar of soap and a rough woven washcloth and set to work on her hands, arms and torso. She would have given every last cent she had for a soak in a fancy hotel bath with hot water and perfumed soap, but she supposed her current situation was better than splashing around in a freezing stream.

  


As she turned her back to the mirror, she caught a glimpse of the raised, ropy scar on her right shoulder blade. Seh spent a few minutes gently tracing what she could reach, trying and failing to stem the tide of memories it brought.

  


_ Adora and catra had been running with The Horde for months. Playing lookout for bank jobs and bait for train or stagecoach robberies. They felt they'd proven themselves. The Horde was hard, but it was better than living with Weaver. _

  


Adora shuddered at the memory.

  


_ Both women were bent over nail barrels, hands and arms bound to it in order to keep them from moving and naked to the waist. Adora felt hot, callused hands grip her arms and shoulders, pushing her harder onto the barrel top and holding her down. Then the searing, white hot pain as the brand burned into her skin. She bit down on the leather belt that served as a gag and turned her head to lock eyes with Catra. _

  


_ She could see Catra's jaw muscles working as she, too, bit down on her gag, trying to keep from crying out. The sickening smell of burning flesh made Adora heave as she strained against the heavy rope; it dug into her wrists and elbows, leaving hemp burns and deep bruises that would linger for weeks. _

  


Adora set her mouth in a hard line as she turned from the hazy, cracked mirror. She threw on her work clothes and braided her golden hair into a single plait before donning her hat and jamming her feet into her worn leather boots.

  


The days since arriving at Bright Moon Ranch had passed in a daze; filled with everything from milking cows and mucking stables, repairing wagons, to cutting timber and burning stumps to clear more graze land for the cattle and horses. It was hard work, and Adora no longer remembered what it was like to wake up and not have her muscles ache, but it was better than killing folks and robbing banks. And at least she could be fairly confident she'd return home in one piece every day. 

  


Before she could stop herself, Adora cast a single, sad glance at her bed; blankets and pillows still askew from the night before. She shook her head a little before stepping out her door and into the bright morning sun.

  


"Well good morning!" Glimmer called from the wagon she was standing in. "'Bout time you got up."

  


Glimmer jumped down out of the wagon and shouldered a burlap sack, giving Adora a teasing wink and smile. She'd taken awhile to warm up to Adora's presence on the ranch, rightly wary of a stranger. But the two had found common ground and gotten along just fine. Even though Glimmer was the daughter of rich ranchers, she wasn't afraid of work. Angella and Micah paid her a wage like any other ranch hand, which Adora appreciated. Rich folks tended to make her skin crawl with the way they treated others. But Micah and Angella knew the value of a person's work, and respected an honest effort.

  


Adora playfully shoulder-checked Glimmer before grabbing two sacks and shouldering them. She'd always been strong, but ranch work had it's benefits.

  


"Don't hurt yourself, Princess," she teased, heading for the cattle barn. "Wouldn't want you to bruise them soft hands."

  


The two women laughed as they dumped the feed bags by the barn and made their way back to the wagon. As they were finishing up with the last of the crates of canned goods and bottles of medicine, Bow approached, waving them down.

  


"Y'almost done?" he asked.

  


"Just about," Adora answered as Glimmer hoisted the final crate out of the wagon bed. "Whatcha need?"

"Whatcha know about building fences?"

  


"Nothin much, but I can learn."

  


"Well, I hope you're a fast learner," Bow said. "We've got a low of ground to cover today."

  


It had been one of the more gruelling jobs that Adora had ever done. She dug post holes where Bow had marked with sticks tied with rags, and helped set heavy rails in the slots to complete each section. By sunset, they had done almost 200 feet of new fence, and Adora's arms felt like lead.

  


"You did good today, kid," Bow said brightly, giving her a hearty pat on the shoulder.

  


Adora instinctively tensed when his hand made contact with her brand.

  


"Y'alright?"

  


"Yeah," she said, making a show of rolling her shoulder and head. "Just sore from workin."

  


"Alright," Bow said with a laugh. "Let's go see what we got goin on for supper."

  


Adora groaned as she entered her dark lodging house. She kicked out of her boots and collapsed into bed, still fully clothed. She knew she should wash and undress, but she was dead tired and full of the best food she'd had in awhile. It wasn't long before her heavy lids slid shut and her soft snores filled the cabin.

  


* * *

  


When Adora awoke, it was still dark. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, trying to figure out what pulled her from sleep. She then heard the crack of revolvers and rifles and people yelling outside. Her door swung open violently as Bow appeared in the opening.

  


"Mara!" he yelled. "Get your gun! Horde thugs are tryin to steal cattle!"

  


She shot out of bed and slammed her feet into her boots before grabbing her lever action long rifle from beside the door. She cast a quick glance at the foot locker under her bed before she ran into the darkness to join the fray.

  


It was chaos. Men and women were everywhere; running, screaming, shooting. One of the cattle pens had been set ablaze, and a group of ranch hands were desperately passing buckets of water back and forth to quell the flames. Horses screamed and wheeled in the dark, knocking people down and trampling them. Adora took cover behind a stack of crates before peeking over them to fire at the attackers. Over and over she poked her head around and fired before scrambling to new cover. 

  


_ Don't stay in one spot, _ a voice in her head echoed.  _ Keep 'em guessing. _

  


After what seemed like hours, the raiding party started to turn and run, taking valuable livestock with them and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Bow, Glimmer and Adora helped take stock of the wounded and drag the dead out of the way. Micah made his way from the house to where they were helping bandage and clean burns and gunshot wounds.

  


"This is insanity," Micah said sadly, looking at the mess the raiders made of his ranch. "What did they take? Did they kill anyone?"

  


"They got about 50 head of cattle," Glimmer said, wrapping a wounded man's arm with gauze. "I dunno about bodies though."

  


Micha shook his head before giving Adora a stern look.

  


"I heard what you did with the horse thieves," he said. "What can you do about this?"

  


Adora took a defensive step back and spread her hands, almost pleadingly.

  


"That was just two men," she said. "God knows how many came here tonight, or are gonna be waiting for us if we go after 'em."

  


"I can get a group together," Bow said, stepping up next to her.

  


"I'm coming with you," Glimmer said, standing.

  


"No you're not!" Micah said firmly. "You're staying here and helping with anyone who was hurt."

  


"But I can fight just as well as Bow or anyone else!" Glimmer shouted, stepping forward. "Let me help!"

  


"You will not!" Micah shouted back, face and neck growing red. "I didn't escape that goddamn island to see my only child murdered by cattle rustlers! You're staying here! Do I make myself clear?"

  


Glimmer's face turned hard as her eyes glinted in the lantern light.

  


"Yes, sir."

  


"Good," he said flatly before turning back to Bow and Adora. "Get your people together. Do what you need to."

  


He put a firm hand on Glimmer's shoulder and guided her toward the main house.

  


"I'll go see who's still standing," Bow said, turning to Adora. "Grab what you need. We leave in an hour."

  


Adora shouldered open the door to her cabin, taking long, purposeful strides towards her bed. She knelt and pulled the footlocker out, unlocking the latch and lifting the lid as she did so. Inside were the few personal effects Adora had dared spirit away with her when she left The Horde; her long, black duster coat, a small pocket watch, and a stack of letters. She let her fingers lightly trace over the twine-bound bundle of letters before grabbing the only thing she needed; a golden bracer etched with hard lines and inset with a palm-sized sapphire. She slid it on before closing the footlocker and kicking it back under the bed. She pulled her sleeve over the bracer before refilling her bandolier with rounds and placing it around her waist. She also grabbed her revolver and holster before heading back into the night to rejoin Bow and his posse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm working on the next few chapters, and they should be up within the next week or so. I put together a Spotify playlist of Southern Gothic and Dark Country songs that I've been listening to for inspo: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1R6Oo6nNiQmBnjVZpOCgua

**Author's Note:**

> This idea grabbed my brain and wouldn't let me go until I wrote it. Huge thanks to Dannomar for beta reading.


End file.
